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“Hello?” I repeated. My heart started racing. Who is talking in the kitchen? “Who is this?”

“This is the police. Do you have an emergency?”

“Oh no, I’m sorry. My kids must have dialed you by accident. I’m sorry!” I exclaimed.

“OK, good-bye.”

“Sorry, bye!” I hung up my husband’s cell phone that has this convenient button, that even when the phone is locked, calls 911 and puts it on speaker phone for anyone to hear. Nice.

“Honey!” I yelled. “You need to put this where they can’t reach it!”

I walked into the office where my husband was playing World of War Craft on-line, and handed him his phone.

“Who did it?” Hubby asked.

“The big one.” I looked in the hallway where Big A had a finger in his mouth and looked appropriately contrite.

Little A asked, “Was that the police, mama?”

“Yes, and if you call them again, the police are going to bust in here and arrest you and take you to jail!” Hubby yelled.

As he was yelling this, I watched Little A’s face go from inquisitive to scared to horrified with huge tears in seconds.

“Nooooooo!” He cried. I couldn’t help it – my heart broke for him and I picked him up.

“Big A did it, why are you yelling at him?” I said, “You should have seen his face.” I kissed Little A and rubbed his back as he clung to me.

“Big A, are you going to do that again?” Hubby asked.

He shook his head from the hallway and just looked concerned. What would happen to him? A time out? No TV? No cookies?!

I explained to the boys what would happen if they pressed that button again and mommy wasn’t there to tell the police everything was OK. That they would come to our house and bust in and see if someone was in trouble. That they would, upon learning the boys called on “accident”, give a strong lecture to the culprit.

The boys agreed never to touch the cell phone again.

I think I will wait a couple years to explain to them how they should call them if someone is in trouble and we need them to come. It will just confuse them at this point!

Ahhhh, kids! Did I mention this is not the first time this has happened?